HM training week9 day1: 10mins in zone 1/2, 30mins in zone2, 30mins in zone4, 5mins in zone 1/2, distance 7.31km

I woke at 4.40am. Even I found it hot last night! So decided to have breakfast and get out just before 6 to beat the heat.

I’d forgotten how lovely early morning running is. The sky was pink and blue with grey and white mackerel clouds, the thinnest pale sliver of waning crescent moon drifting above, and the crane behind our house- where they’re building retirement flats - stark black and huge. Flowers in the gardens were luminous in the half light: sunflowers, acanthus and geraniums, and purple and white sweet peas with their heady, drugging perfume. Something huge and hawk-shaped flew over lazily - no idea what it was, but not a red kite as I saw one of those too and their way of flying is different.

Enough of the flowery language, back to the run! It was 16 degrees and humid when I went out so I was soon dripping with sweat. I managed to keep my bpm down most of the time though. That 30 minutes in zone 4 was quite tough, but i did it and even had to throttle back at one point when my heart rate peaked into zone 5. I also managed to get back into zone 2 for the last two minutes of the cool down phase - on and off! So I would say I’m fitter than I was 9 weeks ago.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon]

I’m loving your journey Flick. Absolute kudos to you for sticking to your HR plan so rigidly. I’m so DIY it’s a joke (but it seems to be working for me 🤞🤞) 😀

Go you! 💪

[Hidden in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Aw thanks ❤️😊 If I don’t get out and do it, I will start slacking 😂 I feel so much better when I’m running a lot, but my lazy couch potato mind sings a siren song about dossing on the sofa reading and stuffing myself with unsuitable food 😆

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Hidden]

Oh mine does too - I have 😇 on one shoulder and 😈 on the other! 😅

[Hidden in reply to cheekychipmunks]

😂

[Sandraj39 Half Marathon]

Well done Flick - I ran early to beat the heat yesterday (not quite as early as you though!) and had also forgotten just how beautiful it is being out first thing. I tend to run later in the day - after work - or late morning on a weekend. I made a mental note to get up early more often and enjoy the early morning peace. Your run sounds lovely🙂.

[Hidden in reply to Sandraj39]

Thanks Sandra 😊 I’m enjoying this training so much. I used to have to persuade myself to get out and run, even though I loved it once I was doing it, but now I miss it on the two non running days, even though swimming in the outdoor pool is lovely x

[Clairecandothis Marathon Half Marathon]

Wow! 30 minutes in zone 4 Flick! In the heat too! I love early morning runs, I'm going to have to go back to them soon too as it is too hot for me and I need to get my longer runs in earlier and cooler now!

I was thanking how you said your fitness is up but pace is slower than last year and I think if you just ran free without a plan for 5 to 10k you may see your overall pace has gone up. I had to continue running today past my plan as I misjudged my distance and my last km free of heart zones was under 7 minutes!

I do love the structure of the plan and the zones though. I just need to slow down when I'm not running via the watch! 🙈😂 xx

[Hidden in reply to Clairecandothis]

That 30 minutes was quite tough, but I wasn’t totally stretched. Maybe my zones are too low 😂

Even when I get to stretch my legs in intervals or so the high zones, I’m still slower. It seems to be since my knee injury. Someone I follow on Strava was injured too and finds her pace slower. Weird as I’m much fitter. Mind you, I was running hills last year and you get to bomb downhill, and the uphill bits get easy. It’s all so interesting and exciting xx

[Katnap Marathon]

Early morning running is the best! 👍😁👍

[Hidden in reply to Katnap]

I love it but seldom manage it because of dog walking 😊

[AlMorr Half Marathon]

Such a wise thing to do your running at the coolest time of the day, many people ask when is the coolest time of the day?, answer, first light, the time you run, you seem to be enjoying your HM training Flick, you describe your run in such a rosy description, have you got a particular half marathon that you are aiming for or just want to run a HM sometime in the future?

[Hidden in reply to AlMorr]

Hi Alan, I’m doing the Oxford half in October. I was supposed to do Blenheim half too this September but had to defer it to next year because of my injured knee earlier in the year.

Mostly I miss the early morning runs because I go after we’ve walked the dogs. I did the 10mile run three weeks ago in about 24-28 degrees mid morning.

You’re right, I’m hugely enjoying the training x

[AlMorr Half Marathon in reply to Hidden]

👍